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Business Insider
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Business Insider
New York to Benin: Spike and Tonya Lee chosen to reconnect millions to their African roots
The Republic of Benin has designated acclaimed American director Spike Lee and his wife, Tonya Lewis Lee, as thematic ambassadors to the Afro-descendant diaspora in the United States. The president of Benin has named Spike Lee and Tonya Lewis Lee thematic ambassadors to the Afro-descendant diaspora in the U.S. This initiative is part of Benin's efforts to reconnect with descendants of Africans affected by the transatlantic slave trade. The Lees' appointment connects their advocacy in social justice and cultural preservation to Benin's historical narrative. The appointment reflects Benin's increased efforts to reconnect with the millions of individuals in the Americas and elsewhere who are descended from Africans cruelly removed from its shores during the transatlantic slave trade. The Lees will serve as "thematic" ambassadors, promoting Beninese government initiatives aimed at restoring legacy, culture, and identity for Afro-descendants worldwide, as reported by AfricanNews. Tonya Lewis Lee applied through Benin's newly formed Afro-descendant initiative, and she immediately got a positive response. She traveled to Benin in 2024 as part of the country's outreach to its global diaspora. Benin's plan mimics previous attempts, such as Ghana's 2019 "Year of Return," which encouraged individuals of African descent to reconnect with ancestral territories. However, Benin's program is more directly anchored in history: the small West African country was formerly a hub of the transatlantic slave trade. Millions of Africans were caught, incarcerated, and transported to the Americas over centuries from what is now known as Benin. The move also aims to bolster the West African country's tourism industry. Spike Lee and Tonya Lewis Lee Spike Lee, an acclaimed director, and his wife, Tonya Lewis Lee, form a dynamic team whose influence extends to cinema, public health, and social justice. The pair has been married since 1993 and have consistently used their platforms to elevate African-American voices and address critical issues affecting the Black community in the United States and abroad. Spike Lee, known for acclaimed movies such as Do the Right Thing, Malcolm X, and BlacKkKlansman, has long championed civil rights and Black identity through film. He previously stated that DNA tests indicated his father's ancestry in Cameroon and his mother's roots in Sierra Leone. Tonya Lewis Lee's native nation is unknown to the public, but she has long advocated for racial justice, health fairness, and social change via cinema and writing. She is a producer, author, and advocate focused on health equity and empowerment.
Yahoo
18-04-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Almost 150 dead after boat catches fire in DR Congo
At least 148 people have been killed in Democratic Republic of Congo after a motorised wooden boat caught fire and capsized. The boat was carrying as many as 500 passengers, including women and children, when it overturned in the Congo River located in the country's northwest region on Tuesday, as per media reports citing local officials on Friday. Boating accidents are common in Congo, where old, wooden vessels are the main form of transport between villages and are often loaded far beyond capacity. A boat catches fire in DR Congo and capsizes, leaving at least 50 people dead and 100 missing. — African News feed. (@africansinnews) April 16, 2025 Officials estimate hundreds of people to still be missing, the reports said. The number of dead was previously estimated at 50. The boat, called HB Kongolo, caught fire near the town of Mbandaka, having left the port of Matankumu for the Bolomba territory. About 100 survivors were taken to an improvised shelter at the local town hall, while those with burn injuries were taken to local hospitals, Sky News reported. The incident occurred when a fire started as a woman was cooking on board the vessel, Compétent Loyoko, the river commissioner, told the Associated Press. Several passengers, including women and children, died after jumping into the water without being able to swim, the report added. In 2024, at least 78 people drowned when a boat with 278 passengers capsized in Lake Kivu, eastern Congo. In a separate incident, at least 22 people died after a river boat sank in December in western Congo.
